LIVERMORE FALLS — Spruce Mountain High School Principal T.J. Plourde announced at last week’s Regional School Unit 73 board meeting that his school has received a Gear-Up Grant of $75,000 a year for seven years.

The program, aimed at increasing student application and attendance to post-secondary education, is coordinated by the University of Maine at Farmington.

“This will give more opportunities for students,” Plourde said.

The grant covers students in grades seven through 12.

A College Access Team, to be comprised of guidance counselors and other staff, will organize on Jan. 29 at UMF.

The board also heard a presentation by district nurses Jackie Kilbreth and Deanna Hamblin and district physician Dr. Michele Knapp on the status of chicken pox, whooping cough and head lice in the district.

Head lice is an ongoing situation, Kilbreth said, and is common in all schools.

“Usually by eighth-grade, (lice) are gone,” she said.

Nurses no longer send children home who are found to harbor the pests. Instead, they provide information to parents on how to rid their child of lice, only occasionally doing it themselves.

“We call parents and instruct them how to treat it,” she said.

Dr. Knapp said neighboring RSU 9 in Farmington recently experienced an outbreak of whooping cough that is now under control. RSU 73 also had several cases.

She said the normal treatment and actions regarding whooping cough is a series of antibiotics for those children who have the illness, and a requirement that they stay out of school for five days.

“Whooping cough is much more contagious. The whole family must be treated,” Dr. Knapp said.

The greatest reason for chicken pox cases is a lack of vaccination, she said.

“Receiving the chicken pox vaccination also makes it much less likely that people will get shingles,” she added.

She said about 15 students at Livermore Elementary School, four to six at Jay Elementary School, eight at Spruce Mountain Middle School and five at SMHS, have not had the chicken pox vaccination.

The board also entered into a closed session for about 25 minutes to discuss a personnel matter. No action was taken.

The next regular board meeting takes place at 6 p.m., Jan. 22, at the Central Office in Livermore Falls.